Giovanni Barcella 

(Italy °1970)

studied jazz drumming with Arki Buelli and also with Giampiero Prina at the CDPM centre. He moved to Belgium in 1999 where he began to work with De Cauter, Fapy Lafertin, Dick Van der Harst en Bart Maris. Since then he has been working with local and international artists and bands. His style is intense, explosive and poetic all at the same time. You could say his mother tongue is free jazz even though he is at home and fluent in a variety of styles and traditions. He has worked together with Jean-Jacques Avenel, Marshall Allen, Reggie Washington, Dan Tepfer, Kris Wanders, Jeroen Van Herzeele, Charles Gayle and many others. He has played solo or as session man at a number of international festivals including: Muziek Antwerpen, Blue Note festival, Gent Jazz, Jazz Middelheim, Jazz à Liège, Happy New Ears in Buda, Clusone Jazz, Lille, Avignon, Vienna – and also in Portugal and Denmark. Barcella is a member of Moker, Backback, Bart Maris / Barcella duo, Jeroen Van Herzeele Quartet and duo, Paul van Gijsegem trio C02, and the Charles Gayle Trio. He is also often spotted in theater and dance performances. For instance in 2012-2013 he toured with Het Fantastische leven van de heilige Sint Christoffel zoals samengevat in twaalf taferelen en drie liederen, [The Fantastic Life of Holy Saint Christopher as summarized in Twelve Scenes and Three Songs], a play that was selected for participation in both the Flemish and the Dutch Theatre Festival.  Giovanni Barcella is also the inspirer of the free music platform, Ciclic Records and a member of the jury for Jong Jazz Talent [the Young Jazz Talent Competition] at Gent Jazz. Since 2004 he has also been working as a music programmer for the Citadelic Festival and for El Negocito Records and Club. He has recently finished recording a new album with Backback and has just completed a European tour with Charles Gayle.